In this first episode, Soyeb and Siobhan explore why social workers need room to vent, reflect, laugh, and be honest about the difficult parts of the job. The conversation challenges toxic positivity and makes space for the frustration, exhaustion, humour, and connection that can come with social work practice.

They reflect on how practice has changed, how demanding environments shape wellbeing, and how the loss of informal spaces to decompress with colleagues can leave people feeling more isolated. The conversation is wide and varied exploring a range of issues in social work careers, including the all too familiar plans to leave social work to work in a supermarket, the experiences of neurodivergent social workers, the ongoing pressure of paperwork, and the importance of reflective practice as a meaningful form of self-care.

This is an episode for anyone who has ever needed a safe space to say, “this is hard,” without being told to simply stay positive. It is a reminder that honesty, reflection, and connection are essential to sustaining social work practice.